STEVENSON (THOMSON), CPL PHOEBE Reg. # W309808 ((8SFTSRCAFWD)
Phoebe was RCAF (WC)
S.F.T.S.Trade Clerk,
Operations,
Flying Control
Phoebe Emmeline Thomson was born January 2, 1924 in Melanchton Twp. (Duncdalk), daughter of Willard and Emmaline (Craig) Thomson. After her father died, the family moved back to Dunchurch where Emmeline Craig had grown up.
Phoebe is understood to have joined the R.C.A.F. (W.C.) in December 1942 - first woman from the Dunchurch area to enlist. She remained in the service until 1945. It would appear that she was stationed at No. 8. Service Flight Training School (S.F.T.S.), Trade Clerk Operations, (Flying Control), Canada.
Phoebe was stationed in Moncton in the role of flight traffic control at an air base where pilots from throughout the Comonwealth trained. (Loved her time in the service. On several occasions had a chance to fly with one of the pilots in a Harvard.)
Her commanding officer was Hartland Molson who tried to convince her to stay on after the war.
No. 8 Service Flying Training School RCAF was a flight training squadron in 3 Training Command, of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), flying Avro Ansons from RCAF Station Moncton, New Brunswick. The school was opened 23 December 1940. The school was relocated to RCAF Station Weyburn, Saskatchewan on 24 January 1944 and was disbanded 30 June 1944.